US doubling down on Asia 'pivot': Bleich

The United States will be stepping up its so-called pivot toward Australia's region in President Barack Obama's second term, America's man in Canberra says.

Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich also sought to reassure Australians that the US will not topple over the so-called fiscal cliff and drag the rest of the world back towards recession.

In his first major public address since President Obama won re-election last month, Mr Bleich moved to combat claims the US doesn't have the will or resources to carry through its plan to boost its presence across the Asia-Pacific region.

He says the Obama administration has a big "meaty" agenda for the region over the next four years.

"Let me be absolutely clear about this: we are not leaving, we are not receding," he told reporters at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.

"The only reason that we would retreat from this region now is this: if we had completely lost our minds.

"To use a blackjack term, we are doubling down on the success of this region," he said, alluding to the gambling practice of doubling a bet.

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Mr Bleich said he was confident Democrats and Republicans would soon agree on a way to avoid the fiscal cliff.

If no deal is agreed before the end of the year, taxes will go up for all Americans and savage cuts to government spending will begin, prompting fears of a new recession. Treasurer Wayne Swan has warned Australia would not be immune from the effects of such a failure.

"There is every reason to hope and every reason to believe this grand bargain is going to happen," Mr Bleich said.

The ambassador also took time to lament the negativity of the US election campaign, saying both sides of politics are training people to think all politicians are inept and corrupt.

Mr Bleich is keeping mum on how long he will be staying in his job, amid speculation Mr Obama wants him back in Washington DC.

"I will do whatever the president says will be in the best interests of my country," he said.

"At the same time, I have told him I absolutely love this job. If he wants me to leave he's going to have to pry me out of the embassy first.

"And now we have more marines, so it'll be harder for him," he quipped, referring to the US marines on training rotation through Darwin.

He denied his speech was intended to coincide with this week's visit of senior Chinese official Liu Yandong, who is meeting with Prime Minister Julia Gillard but not speaking with the media.